Grant Scams

There are many companies that claim to be able to help you find thousands of dollars in free government grants, usually for a fee. Don’t fall for these schemes. If you’re looking for help finding a grant, consider the following tips:

Beware of anyone promising free or easy money in exchange for an upfront fee.

Don’t fall for outfits that guarantee you a government grant. Legitimate government grant programs are competitive, and not everyone who applies gets funding.

Don’t be fooled by telephone calls or official-looking letters that tell you that you’ve unexpectedly won a government grant you didn’t apply for, and don’t give out personal information such as Social Security or bank numbers.

Steer clear of grant offers that claim you can use grant money for anything you want. Most legitimate government grants given to individuals are for specific purposes, for example, to pay for emergency repairs after a natural disaster, fund research projects, start certain types of small businesses or cover college costs.

There are very few grants available for individuals. If you are experiencing financial problems, seek credit counseling from a legitimate free credit counselor. Most legitimate grants are only available to nonprofit organizations.

Do your homework to make sure a company is legitimate before doing business with it. Find out the company’s name, its physical address, including the country where it’s based, and a telephone number so you can communicate with the company about all the important details.

Instead of paying a fee for help finding grants, check directly with federal, state and local government offices to find out about grant opportunities. Information about real government grants and loans is available at www.grants.govand www.govbenefits.gov. Students can also explore financial aid resources such as student loans at College Foundation of North Carolina at www.cfnc.org.

We Can Help

If you have a complaint about a government grant scheme contact us for helpor call toll free within North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.